The Ultimate ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ Cast Power Ranking

We mused earlier this week that Wet Hot American Summer might be the best-cast film of all time. Practically everyone in the film went on to star in films and television shows, become movie stars, power producers, or actual living legends. Now that this cavalcade of comedy champions are reassembling for Netflix’s newest original series, Wet Hot American Summer: The First Day of Camp, we started to wonder which cast member had come the farthest since the original film. Basically, who won the last 14 years?

We decided to look at how famous each person was in 2001, then we looked at what they were doing today. Are they mega-stars? Cult personas? Secret behind-the-scenes puppet-masters? Stars of not one, but two, major animated series? We’re not looking at talent or who we like the most. We’re just looking at how important they were to getting buzz for the film in 2001 versus how much power they command in Hollywood today.

What we discovered that is while one struggling actor skyrocketed from relative anonymity to become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, the real mover-and-shakers — as in the people whose relative power rankings came the furthest — might surprise you. [Watch Wet Hot American Summer on Netflix]

Kevin SussmanThen: Like many others, Sussman came into WHAS with a bunch of bit parts under his belt, but his bit parts were in classic fare like Almost Famous & The Sopranos. (Ranking: 13)Now: He still consistently pops up in popular film and television. Lately, he’s probably best-known for his recurring role on The Big Bang Theory (Ranking: 18; down 5 spots).

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Zak Orth (J.J.)Then: Supporting parts in Romeo + Juliet & In & Out. (Ranking: 12)Now: Orth has continued to work steadily over the years and frequently pops up in cool comedy roles and big budget films and shows. Most recently, you may have seen him on NBC’s Revolution. (Ranking: 17; Dropped 5 spots)

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Marguerite Moreau (Katie)Then: She was an up-and-coming starlet who had appeared in both Mighty Ducks sequels. (Ranking: 6)Now: Moreau has worked steadily since WHAS, but she’s never really found the stardom that people thought she would back in the early ‘00s. (Ranking: 16; Dropped 10 spots)

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Judah Friedlander (Ron von Kleinenstein)Then: Small bit parts on TV. (Ranking: 18)Now: Friedlander crafted an iconic look for himself that will be seared in our collective consciousness forever thanks to Tina Fey and 30 Rock. (Ranking: 15; up 3 spots)

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David Hyde Pierce (Henry Newman)Then: He was a famous sitcom star, raking in those Emmy noms and residuals as Niles Crane on Frasier. (Ranking: 2) Now: Still famous, but still known primarily as Niles Crane. (Ranking: 14; Dropped 12 spots)

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Janeane Garofalo (Beth)Then: Alternative comedy icon who appeared on Saturday Night Live and in various cult classics. (Ranking: 3)Now: Still a cult icon, but known more as an alternative comedy force in the NYC stand up scene. (Ranking: 13; Dropped 10 spots)

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Joe Lo Truglio (Neil)Then: Best-known for being a member of The State. (Ranking: 11)Now: Like Marino, he’s also appeared in a bunch of hip comedies over the years, and he has an ensemble role on the successful FOX sitcom, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. (Ranking: 12; Dropped 1 spot)

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Molly Shannon (Gail von Kleinenstein)Then:She was a trendy Saturday Night Live alum and her film Superstar was a VHS bestseller. (Ranking: 4)Now: Shannon continues to work in both comedy and drama and is still a beloved SNL alum. (Ranking: 11; Dropped 7 spots)

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Ken Marino (Victor Kulak)Then: As a member of The State (Ranking: 10)Now: Marino has spent the last 14 years flitting around from trendy comedy project to trendy comedy project, and he's started to nab leading man parts in sitcoms. We'll assume one's going to stick soon.(Ranking: 10; Stayed the same)

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Christopher Meloni (Gene)Then: For work on Oz & Law & Order: SVU. (Ranking: 5)Now: Well, Meloni has appeared in a variety of films and shows, but he still is best known for his iconic work on Oz & Law & Order: SVU. (Ranking: 9; Dropped 4 spots)

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Michael Ian Black (McKinley)Then: As a member of The State. (Ranking: 8) Now: Michael Ian Black has a weird career where he’ll appear in bold sketch comedy shows like Stella, but he’ll also pop up in mainstream comedies, too. Basically, he’s everywhere. (Ranking: 8; Stayed the same)

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H. Jon Benjamin (Can of Vegetables)Then: Benjamin was a comedian who appeared in supporting roles on the UCB TV series. (Ranking: 15)Now: Benjamin’s biggest claim to fame is still using his voice. Now, though, he’s the star of two of the most important and popular animated series on television: Bob’s Burgers & Archer. (Ranking: 6; Up 9 spots)

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A.D. Miles (Gary)Then: A regular in the NYC alt comedy scene. (Ranking: 17)Now: You might be scratching your head, but in addition to starring in, writing, and producing a string of alt comedy projects, Miles has a major behind-the-scenes role in the world of late night. He was the head writer of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and is now head writer at The Tonight Show. Meaning he’s the guy responsible for what comes out of Jimmy Fallon’s mouth. That’s…uh…kind of a big deal. (Ranking: 6, Up 11 spots)

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Michael Showalter (Gerald "Coop" Cooperberg)Then: As one of the leading members of The State. (Ranking: 7)Now: After The State and WHAS, Showalter became an elder statesman of alternative comedy. He’s performed, written, directed, and produced some of the most influential and offbeat comedy out there. And of course, he was able to pull off bringing back the entire original cast for the new Netflix series. (Ranking: 5; Up 2 spots)

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Elizabeth Banks (Lindsay)Then: Bit parts like “Waitress” on various television shows. (Ranking: 16)Now: Banks is a powerhouse of a chameleon. She has stolen entire scenes in Apatow flicks like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, co-starred in The Hunger Games franchise, and now she’s a successful producer/director. Don’t forget that she was at the helm of Pitch Perfect 2. By our estimation, she’s made the biggest strides since appearing in WHAS. (Ranking: 4; Up 12 spots)

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Amy Poehler (Susie)Then: A founding member of the hip alt improv group, the Upright Citizens Brigade, and a popular recurring player on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. (Ranking: 14)Now: Since WHAS, Poehler has conquered the world of comedy. She’s considered one of the most popular, brilliant, and successful female comedians and now produces projects like Broad City. (Ranking: 3; Up 11 spots)

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Paul Rudd (Andy) Then: He anchored ‘90s classics like Clueless and The Object of My Affection. (Ranking: 1)Now: Rudd has popped up in some of the biggest comedy hits (Friends, Anchorman, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up) of the 21st Century and is now apart of the coolest club in Hollywood. Yep, because he’s Ant-Man, the dude’s also an Avenger. (Ranking: 2; Dropped 1 spot)

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Bradley Cooper (Ben)Then: Cooper had a notable cameo on Sex and the City and was about to appear in a supporting role in a new series called Alias. (Ranking: 9)Now: Cooper conquered the box office (and comedy) as the star of The Hangover trilogy and has netted three Oscar nominations. So, he’s kind of a bonafide big deal. In fact, his Oscar nominations and tested box office power push him past Rudd and Poehler. (Ranking: 1, Up 8 spots)